1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus to perform processing based on processing setting of a facsimile, an internet facsimile or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known, in recent years, there is an image forming apparatus having a plurality of functions, such as a copy function, a facsimile function, a scanner function, a printer function or an image filing function. Besides, the image forming apparatus as stated above is connected to an arbitrary number of personal computers (hereinafter referred to as PC) and the outside through, for example, a network. Thus, data captured by the image forming apparatus can be captured into the PC or can be transmitted to the outside.
Hitherto, when a consumable item (for example, a toner cartridge) of an image forming apparatus needs replacement, a serviceman visits the manager who has the image forming apparatus and replaces the consumable item. In recent years, the manager holds consumable items in advance, and the manager himself or herself can replace the consumable items. In this case, the manager himself or herself confirms the number of consumable items and the kind, and manages them.
JP-A-2005-221606 discloses a structure in which an image forming apparatus using a consumable item provided with a non-contact tag having intrinsic identification information and a server to manage the consumable item are connected to each other through a network. Besides, there is disclosed a structure in which the image forming apparatus reads the identification information from the non-contact tag provided on the consumable item at the time when the consumable item is installed, and transmits the identification information to the server through the network, and the server calculates the consumable item consumption rate of the user using the image forming apparatus and the number of owned consumable items, and notifies the supply information of the consumable items by using electronic mail or a display unit of the apparatus.
However, in the invention of JP-A-2005-221606, there is not disclosed a structure in which when the replacement of a consumable item is needed, the manager easily finds the desired consumable item from a large stock.
Besides, JP-A-2005-33569 discloses a structure in which when an apparatus error, such as consumable item depletion, occurs in a vending machine type print supply apparatus, error data is immediately transmitted from a wireless communication device of the vending machine type print supply apparatus to a wireless communication device of a simple terminal apparatus, and the simple terminal apparatus causes the manager for the installation of the vending machine type print supply apparatus to recognize the apparatus error by a display corresponding to the error data, a buzzer or the like.
However, the invention of JP-A-2005-221606 is for causing the manager to recognize the apparatus error such as the consumable item depletion, and does not manage a stock of consumable items. Besides, there is not disclosed a structure in which when the replacement of a consumable item is needed, the manager easily finds the desired consumable item from a large stock.